# Advice needed on dogs...



## Aquilah (Jun 26, 2006)

Okay, John promised me I could get a dog once we've settled into the house (which at this point we're still getting). I already have two cats that are currently living with a friend in GA since we couldn't find a rental here that accepted pets. I'll probably be bringing them up to NY once I go back to GA in May for my graduation, unless I can con a friend into bringing them to me sooner or convince John to let me get them plane tickets *lmao*

I've always wanted a lap dog so I could cuddle and sleep with it, but John REALLY doesn't want a small dog. My only other alternative has always been a Rottweiler. I've never in my life personally met a mean Rottie, and I've met a lot of them (even lived with two of them). I've always asked owners of Rottweilers if their dog has ever been aggressive towards anyone, let alone attacked anyone. They've all said "No," as well as that their dog has always gotten along extremely well with children.

John's finally caved in and said I could get a Rottie, but I still can't get a Maltese or a Bichon Frise. My friends are all telling me we shouldn't get a Rottie because they're known to attack or be aggressive, as well as turn on their owners. I've come to realize any dog can turn on their owner, and a lot depends on how the dog was trained. So, now I'm thinking makybe I shouldn't get my Rottie. Maybe I should be the one who caves in and gets a Golden Retriever. The only other breed we can agree on is an American Eskimo... Although, I'd got for another Australian Shepherd.

So, what I want to know is your opinions and experience with Rottweilers. Is it a bad idea for us to get one? Should we pick another breed? I've been told as long as the Rottie comes from a good blood line that's never had any incidents and as long as the dog is raised and trained right, I shouldn't have any problems. What's your opinions/advice? Oh, and any other medium-sized dog breed recommendations would be great too!


----------



## touting (Jun 26, 2006)

I am someone who loves dogs. I have to say that Rotties are what you make them to be. I have a American Staffordshire Terrier mix that EVERYONE said "Oh he is going to turn on you". After doing some research online, I realized he will be what I create him to be. I made SURE he was socialized starting at 8 wks old and I took him on every trip and or just get together, to make sure he was around different types of people.

Now, my neighbors want to make him the neighborhood greeter.

I personally am not a fan of full breed dogs because I have had both growing up and I actually love having mutts. However, I love ROTTIES. My husband will not allow a big dog like that in our home which is why I do not have one.


----------



## grn_eyed_grl (Jun 26, 2006)

*Hi. I used to have a Rottweiler. It was HUGE! Literally




... however, it never turned on any of us. He loved the entire family. Only time I ever even remember him barking was when the postal man came to the door once. Of course I can't be too much of a help with them because the one we had was raised in the military in Germany so he was trained extremely well. But...I can recommend antoher dog for you. How about a Labrador retriever? I have many of them and have bred them since I was little. (of course by that I mean my family has bred them) They are excellent dogs. The ones with a boxed face tend to get a little larger and more stout than those with the slender noses. I suggest getting a male as to females can be extremely hyper!!! *

Originally Posted by *grn_eyed_grl* *Hi. I used to have a Rottweiler. It was HUGE! Literally



... however, it never turned on any of us. He loved the entire family. Only time I ever even remember him barking was when the postal man came to the door once. Of course I can't be too much of a help with them because the one we had was raised in the military in Germany so he was trained extremely well. But...I can recommend antoher dog for you. How about a Labrador retriever? I have many of them and have bred them since I was little. (of course by that I mean my family has bred them) They are excellent dogs. The ones with a boxed face tend to get a little larger and more stout than those with the slender noses. I suggest getting a male as to females can be extremely hyper!!! * *ALSO...... I thought I would add that where I live you have to carry a huge insurance policy on dogs like that. Here...if you have dogs such as Rotts, Pit Bulls, etc., you have to have huge insurance policies. It's quite ridiculous too...it's something like anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000. So maybe that is something you want to check into and consider before you get that particular type of dog.*


----------



## VenusGoddess (Jun 26, 2006)

All dogs need to be fully trained. Rotties are extremely agressive by nature and you HAVE to be the "alpha" for them to listen to you. If you cannot be firm and unmoving when dealing with stuff, then a Rottie is NOT for you. Most big dogs need to have an "alpha" in the family...if they don't they'll become the alpha and that's the end of that.

I personally think you should go visit breeders of all the dogs you are considering. Talk with them, go to the library and check out books on caring for the breeds and all that. MOST dogs get along with cats fine if they grow up with them...and MOST dogs are good with kids as long as those dogs are raised in a loving home.

But, do your research. Lots of it...Don't just get a dog cuz it looks cute...know what you're getting in to.


----------



## Zoey (Jun 26, 2006)

GO for a bullterrier! These dogs have just amazing characters and are such sweet couch potatoes,you cant even imagine! I always go to doggie school,cause I learn a lot there and so does the doggie,so I reccomend to everyone,regardless of a breed to go to school!


----------



## Gwendela (Jun 26, 2006)

I love rotties. I don't think I've ever met one that wasn't wonderful. The insurance problem that grn eyed grl mentioned is common here as well.

I have three dogs. A geriatric miniature poodle, a bearded collie (sheep dog), and a st. bernard. I would recommend investigating the breeds that your interested in. Things to think about would be temperament, grooming, and exercise needs. For example my st. bernard is wonderful with my daughters, loves slow paced leisurely walks, sheds, and drools like a fool. I literally have to scrub the drool boogers off of my walls.





I would also like to recomment checking into breed specific rescues. They often have puppies and/or young dogs available.


----------



## Aquilah (Jun 26, 2006)

I went to the AKC website and read as far as a Rottie's temperment, and found the following:

"The Rottweiler is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.

The behavior of the Rottweiler in the show ring should be controlled, willing and adaptable, trained to submit to examination of mouth, testicles, etc. An aloof or reserved dog should not be penalized, as this reflects the accepted character of the breed. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs should not be faulted.

A judge shall excuse from the ring any shy Rottweiler. A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge. A dog that in the opinion of the judge menaces or threatens him/her, or exhibits any sign that it may not be safely approached or examined by the judge in the normal manner, shall be excused from the ring. A dog that in the opinion of the judge attacks any person in the ring shall be disqualified."

I've contacted someone from the AKC referral in regards to finding an American Eskimo in our area, and I found another referral from the AKC for Australian Shepherd breeders. I've just always wanted a Rottie... Polona, thanks for the Bull Terrier suggestion! I've always loved Silky Terriers too! I think I'm just going to talk John into the Bichon Frise... They're just TOO cute!!!






(This is a show dog... Since it wouldn't be a show dog, I'd cut its fur differently *lol*)


----------



## VenusGoddess (Jun 26, 2006)

My grandfather had a Bischon. It was really a GREAT dog...very loyal, and yet it couldn't walk you (LOL). I have a lot of great memories of that dog.


----------



## spazbaby (Jun 26, 2006)

Though I've never had any bad experiences with dogs, including Rotties, I do know that some homeowner's insurance agencies will not cover you if you own a breed such a Rottie, Pitbull, or German Shepherd.

Since you have children, you should probably consider that a Rottie will be likely to become fiercely protective of your kids. This could mean that there would be problems when other children are around, especially when there is running and playing involved (i.e. playing tag or hide-and-seek). If a Rottie sees his/her child being chased, the Rottie may react irrationally in order to "protect" your child from the chaser. You may also have problems with other parents not wanting to leave their children with you if you own a Rottweiler.

My suggestion to you would be to get a retriever. Retrievers are eager to please everyone (not just their owners) so they tend to be far friendlier.


----------



## pinkbundles (Jun 27, 2006)

i don't know much about dogs except that they are HIGH MAINTENANCE!!!

but good luck aquilah!


----------



## KellyB (Jun 27, 2006)

Aquilah, Why doesn't John want a small dog. If you want a cuddler, couldn't yall come to a compromise. Maybe an in between size dog?


----------



## Aquilah (Jun 27, 2006)

Originally Posted by *kelly1965rn* Aquilah, Why doesn't John want a small dog. If you want a cuddler, couldn't yall come to a compromise. Maybe an in between size dog? Kelly, he forgets this dog isn't for him, it's for *ME*! It's all about that damned macho complex *lmao* I'm almost *POSITIVE* that's what it is *lmao*


----------



## Shelley (Jun 28, 2006)

I have never owned a Rottie but I know that labs and golden retrievers make good pets. I have friends who have both of these breeds are they are great dogs. I would do some research into breeds. Maybe you can find out if there are any dogs shows in your area coming up and walk around, talk to various owners.


----------



## 4getmeNot (Jun 28, 2006)

i don't know anything about rotties. i always assumed they were agressive and i kind of strayed away from them. why doesn't he want you to get a small dog? is it that whole ego thing, like boys need big macho dogs. lol. i have a pomerarion and i love her to death. she is more on the small side, but considered as a medium sized dog..what about one of those? i don't think a rottie would be bad, just make sure that the dog you get is a good dog, comes from a good, reputable place. i guess i'm not much help. let us know kind of dog you get.


----------



## Aquilah (Jun 29, 2006)

Well, it's looking like unless we get a house, there won't be any "doggies in the window" for me to look into getting... DAMMIT! I'll let you know IF I end up getting a dog, and if so, WHAT kind... Grrr!!!!!


----------



## tsims (Jun 29, 2006)

i had a rottie, got her from the shelter, i also have many other dogs and cats, fish etc....

rotties need room, the more pinned up they are the more arrgersive they can be. mine was abused, so it took some time, but she was gentle, when i would give her a treat she would ever so gently take it from my hand, she never ever snapped , unlike my smaller dogs, actually my cock a poo is the most agressive dog i have, and i even had him nutured. here is a little tid bit that might help you,, now this is not 100% true all the time but in general, female spayed dogs are more gentle and well behaved, as in they dont take off , and they train easy. male cats that are neutred are usually more affectionate than female cats who are either spayed or non spayed. now i have seen this to be untrue, but as a rule it seems to go.

the large dogs you are looking at , will need room, or need to be walked several times a day, they are all runners/hunters in nature, they will all try to be lap dogs, oh yes nothing like a 100lb rott. trying to crawl up on your lap, but they do try. the big part with large dogs in teaching them not to jump up on people, first lesson they need to learn from beginning and no biting , no matter how cute it is when there little and chewing on your hand because they are teething, it needs to be taught then no putting mouth on people, give them toys and bones to replace your hand. it is pretty unfair to a dog , to let them do something for so long, then when they get bigger you suddenly want it to stop, they get confused with the mix message, and this why most dog owners take there their dogs to the pound, because they did not train them from the start and then they get mad cause they cant handle the dog anymore or they think the dog is bad, not true it is the owners fault when this happens. get some books , or go on the internet and look as some dog training sites, they will really help you, large dogs are easier to train then small ones usually.

if you buy a pure breed , please check out the breeders, you dont want someone who is letting bother- sister, father-daughter etc... have pups, this happens alot and you will wind up with one messed up pup.

i wish and i pray that if this works out and you do get your home that you go to the shelter and buy one, they put down more than 50 animals a day sometimes, in just one shelter , now mutiply that by how many shelters there are in the united states. Honestly you cannot get a better pet. they seem to be almost grateful that you saved them, it is like they know. most shelters have experienced people working there who can match a dog to your lifestyle too.

oh, and god help the poor soul who is going to drive cats from GA to NY. OMG cats hate cars, keep them in crates, and crank up the radio it might be a noisy ride. expect some pretty mad kitty's when they get there. oh and keep them in the house for a couple months when they arrive, they will try to go back to GA. , they wont like a strange place, cats like the same stomping grounds and become confused in new ones.

good luck and hope you get your home and your dog.

ts


----------



## chibicinhwei (Jul 19, 2006)

I use to volunteer for a pet adoption place. well, i didn't meet any rotties but from my experience it really depends on how you take care of your pet. I have seen bichon frise that have been shot with paintballs (don't worry! she went to an awsome family) and pomeranians that are scared of women their female owners beat them (and the pomeranian went to a gay couple) . There was this one pitt bull that was on the 101 fwy ( I live in L.A



) scared to death and this women saved them and he was one of the sweetest dogs in the lot. Don't be scared if dogs have any kind of temperment just make just you give it love and care and some training classes and you'll do fine! Everyone always seems to want golden retrievers i think it was b/c of the movie buddy. If you are going to get one just be prepared they are going to shed like crazy. The dogs i know that don't shed are poodles and maltese. American Eskimos don't do well in the hot heat so you have to put them inside the house and give them lots of water. Australian Sheperds are herding dogs. People say that herding dogs and kids don't mix well. B/c they like to "herd" the kids by biting at the back of the ankle. But i kind of doubt that's true. I do know that herding dogs are really active, That's why most herding dogs are the dogs who run through the obstacle contest thing.


----------



## Aquilah (Jul 19, 2006)

Well, I plan on having an indoor dog... Just a preference as I hate that "outdoor" smell that gets caught in clothes and on animals... I know, I'm weird! I've been told it's cruel to do that too, but I don't think it is! Since I live in NY, I don't think it'd be a big deal as far as the heat. I owned an Australian Shepherd once, and he was absolutely awesome with my daughter! I'm still in debate, and it might not be something I work on just yet... I might just break down and get a Chocolate Lab *lol*


----------



## KimC2005 (Jul 19, 2006)

I have a black lab and she is the most incredible dog ever. I would recommend searching around for a lab that is over 2 yrs old that has already been trained. I had Star when she was a baby and we went through the wild, chewing everything in site phase, but after about 2 years she really calmed down. She is wonderful with children and very protective of them, but not to the point that if other children were over that she would bite them. Labs are very family oriented dogs. Now, she is about 6 and is trained. I would recommend a lab or golden retriever. Let us know what you decide! I have always wanted a chocolate lab.. Maybe someday I'll convince my bf to get me one!


----------



## Angie2006 (Jul 20, 2006)

1 1/2 yrs ago I bought a doberman puppy despite everyone saying how he would turn on us. I read a lot about the breed, as well as dogs in general. I took him straight to the vet and as soon as the vet said it was ok (8wks), I started taking him EVERYWHERE with me. When I took him for walks I made a point to stop at any person or other animal and let him visit. When we went for walks, we stopped in at the local bar, made a lap around to all the seats for a pat on the head and then back on our way. The key to a nice animal is socialization and training. Most aggressize behavior is from lack of socialization, they haven't been exposed to much so they are scared and they are agressive because of that.

Once he was old enough, we began obedience training. The first class was more of a socialization and a few basic manners, then we took 2 obedience classes. It's an awesome way to bond with your dog and socialize them, as well as make them nicer to be around for you as well as anyone else.

Dylan is a year and a half old now and he's AWESOME! Everyone who sees him wants him or a puppy by him, even former 'dobe haters'. It's all in the training and socialization. Heck...the kids next door come over and ask if he can come out and play! When he was old enough to jump over the fence he used to jump out whenever he saw the kids next door outside playing. (We nipped the fence jumping in the bud even tho it was cute at the time). I took him to an AKC Canine Good Citizen test as soon as he was old enough (6months) and he passed with flying colors, they couldn't believe he was only 6 months old and so calm around all the other dogs, so obedient. I spent many, many hours with him and that's what it takes. My bf and I have split up and he 'won' custody of Dylan but it's in his will that if anything happens, he comes to me. I won't get another dog until I know I'll have the time to spend with them like I did Dylan, it makes all the difference in the world.

Peronsally, rotties scare me, but that's from a personal experience. The point of all this is....any dog is what you make it (aside from a bad apple here and there). I had pitt bulls growing up and they are incredible family dogs. The problem with them is that they have the capability to do great harm and IDIOT people use that ability and train them in bad ways. I love pitts but won't own one again only because if anything ever happened that I had to let it go...I would put it to sleep. I wouldn't chance some jackass getting the dog and either using it as a bait dog or fighting it. IMO, rottie owners should be the same way because they will fight those dogs too.

I also feel that dog fighting should be cracked down on and a person should have a license to have more than one pit bull and to have even one if it's not spayed/neutered...as well as mandatory jail time for dog fighting. It's JUST SICK!

OK...I have to go to work...gonna be late now


----------



## kellianne76 (Jul 21, 2006)

Rotties are sweet dogs. My neighbor used to own one and never had a problem with him. I have an american eskimo/collie mix dog and she is a great dog.


----------



## CarolAZ (Jul 22, 2006)

Hi there, newbie here. We have two dogs, one a black lab who is almost 10 years old, but small for a lab! She is only about 50 pounds, small boned and adorable. Our other dog is a dog from the Humane Society...Cody, he is the BEST dog ever! He is part golden retriever, part cocker spaniel, this sounds so weird but he is the cutest dog! Everyone comments on how adorable he is. They get along great.

Think about contacting a rescue organization. You can google them online, I know someone who got a golden retr. from this place, she is the cutest and nicest dog. You can help the dog out with a loving home.




But all the dog breeds have rescue organizations. It will make you feel so good inside too.

Good luck and keep us posted.

CarolAZ


----------



## mzbees (Jul 23, 2006)

We have a chocolate lab and a rat terror (I say that affectionately because I absolutely adore our boys). The chocolate we've had since he was 12 weeks old, the terror since 8 weeks. Both are wonderful family dogs, but they need to run, play and get their energies out. The lab is now 6 and our rattie is almost 3.

A lab needs a "job" thus their compulsion to play fetch tirelessly. Our rattie loves to cuddle, but he's also very busy and quick when it comes to play time. A rat terrior is essentially a smaller version of a fox terrier.

If and when we are ever in a point in our lives when we want to add to our doggie household, I have chosen a corgi to be it. They are a small dog with a big dog attitude. And so DARN cute!

Since you are wanting an inside non stinky dog, I would suggest you look at a Poodle, Bichon, and other breeds that have actual hair not fur. They are cleaner in general imo. Or, have you seen the Labradoodles? There is also another mix of retriever and poodle. Supposed to be extremely smart and gentle animals.

The only experience I've had with Rotties was my uncle had one while I was growing up. He was an attack/police dog and intimidated the hell out of me. Granted I realize the dog was trained for a certain lifestyle, but his size and demeanor was unsettling.

Here's some links that may help:

http://www.dogpage.us/choosing-a-dog.html

http://www.pgaa.com/canine/general/size.html

http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/.../rightdog.html

http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/lib-GenTrain.htm


----------



## kaeisme (Jul 23, 2006)

Rotties can have recessive genes due to the way they been bred over the years..and can turn nasty..the only problem is ..you might not know if they carry that gene or not..and they can remain sedate for a long period..then all of a sudden come out..Pit bulls are like that also...


----------



## Angie2006 (Jul 23, 2006)

Originally Posted by *kaeisme* Rotties can have recessive genes due to the way they been bred over the years..and can turn nasty..the only problem is ..you might not know if they carry that gene or not..and they can remain sedate for a long period..then all of a sudden come out..Pit bulls are like that also... That is only true to the extent that if they have been bred for a few generations for fighting...which is yet another reason to get a dog from a rebutable show breeder...even if you don't want to show, you can be 99% certain they have not been using their dogs for fighting.


----------

